mind whirled as she thought of ideas and discarded them. First, she needed to get him to stop, then she’d make a move.
But she’d only get one chance. Without the element of surprise, he’d overpower her.
She saw a length of decorative rope threaded on her horse’s saddle. She slid her hand down and tugged on it. It pulled loose, and she coiled it in her hands. She tested the strength of it.
It would do the job.
“I need a break. My legs.” She rubbed her thigh, feigning pain. They did hurt, but not that badly.
He muttered under his breath and then jerked his head. He stopped his horse and Sydney did the same. She slid off, leaning against the animal like she could barely stand.
“Water?” she asked.
With another bad-tempered mutter, he strode toward her, water bottle in hand.
Her hand tightened on the rope, dropping it down along her left leg.
He shoved the water bottle at her, and she took it with her right hand. As soon as he’d turned away, she dropped the water bottle to the ground and grabbed the other end of the rope. She took two steps, flung the loop of rope over his head, and pulled back hard against his throat.
He made a furious noise, his hands reaching up. His fingers scrabbled against his neck, trying to pull the rope away from his skin.
Sydney kicked at his knee. It was awkward from this angle, but his knee went out from under him and he fell into the dirt with a choked cry.
She strained backward, pulling on the rope. He slammed an elbow back, catching her in the belly. She gritted her teeth and held on.
Pass out, God damn you.
He was trying to turn around, and he wasn’t losing consciousness. Fear spiked. Dammit .
A gunshot rang out, echoing in the trees.
Sydney fell backward with a cry and ducked. Another shot, and the horses started, letting out frightened whinnies.
She looked up.
Four armed figures emerged from the trees, weapons up.
A tall, broad man was in the lead. Air rushed into her lungs . Logan.
He charged past her, moving in and kicking the struggling fake Piero until he fell flat on his face.
“On your stomach, hands behind your head.” The blunt words were delivered in a lethal tone that sent a chill through Sydney.
Logan grabbed the Silk Road man, yanking him to his feet. He patted him down, tossing a handgun to Hale. Then Logan shook the man viciously.
Sydney pushed up to sit. She saw Hale and Morgan calming the horses, and Declan striding forward.
“Logan,” Declan said. “That’s enough. We need to question him.”
Logan dropped the man and he fell in a pile on the ground. Declan stepped forward, zip ties in hand, and wrenched the man’s wrists together behind his back. The Silk Road man cursed and struggled against his bonds.
Then her view of him was blocked by Logan’s broad form. He knelt in front of her, staring into her face. “Did he hurt you?”
She looked into those fierce lion eyes and shook her head. What must he be thinking? What she’d said to him back at the bridge…he had to hate her.
“Logan…” When he just kept staring, she cleared her throat. “He had a small explosive, he put it on me back at the bridge.”
Logan went still. Scary still. “He had an explosive on you.”
She swallowed and saw fake Piero’s eyes go wide.
“Don’t let him near me,” the Silk Road man spat out.
“Morgan.” Declan jerked his head toward the horses. “You and Hale check for an explosive.”
Sydney swallowed again. She felt like she had a rock in her throat. “Logan, I’m sorry. I was so afraid he’d hurt you and the others. I did what he told me to do, and I’m sorry.”
Logan’s brow creased. “You were trying to protect me?”
“Is that so hard to believe? I really am sorry about what I said.”
Logan muttered a curse and then yanked her into his arms. He tugged her head back and his mouth touched hers. Sydney leaned into the kiss, a small sound escaping her.
His lips cruised across her cheek. “I see you, Sydney. The
But she’d only get one chance. Without the element of surprise, he’d overpower her.
She saw a length of decorative rope threaded on her horse’s saddle. She slid her hand down and tugged on it. It pulled loose, and she coiled it in her hands. She tested the strength of it.
It would do the job.
“I need a break. My legs.” She rubbed her thigh, feigning pain. They did hurt, but not that badly.
He muttered under his breath and then jerked his head. He stopped his horse and Sydney did the same. She slid off, leaning against the animal like she could barely stand.
“Water?” she asked.
With another bad-tempered mutter, he strode toward her, water bottle in hand.
Her hand tightened on the rope, dropping it down along her left leg.
He shoved the water bottle at her, and she took it with her right hand. As soon as he’d turned away, she dropped the water bottle to the ground and grabbed the other end of the rope. She took two steps, flung the loop of rope over his head, and pulled back hard against his throat.
He made a furious noise, his hands reaching up. His fingers scrabbled against his neck, trying to pull the rope away from his skin.
Sydney kicked at his knee. It was awkward from this angle, but his knee went out from under him and he fell into the dirt with a choked cry.
She strained backward, pulling on the rope. He slammed an elbow back, catching her in the belly. She gritted her teeth and held on.
Pass out, God damn you.
He was trying to turn around, and he wasn’t losing consciousness. Fear spiked. Dammit .
A gunshot rang out, echoing in the trees.
Sydney fell backward with a cry and ducked. Another shot, and the horses started, letting out frightened whinnies.
She looked up.
Four armed figures emerged from the trees, weapons up.
A tall, broad man was in the lead. Air rushed into her lungs . Logan.
He charged past her, moving in and kicking the struggling fake Piero until he fell flat on his face.
“On your stomach, hands behind your head.” The blunt words were delivered in a lethal tone that sent a chill through Sydney.
Logan grabbed the Silk Road man, yanking him to his feet. He patted him down, tossing a handgun to Hale. Then Logan shook the man viciously.
Sydney pushed up to sit. She saw Hale and Morgan calming the horses, and Declan striding forward.
“Logan,” Declan said. “That’s enough. We need to question him.”
Logan dropped the man and he fell in a pile on the ground. Declan stepped forward, zip ties in hand, and wrenched the man’s wrists together behind his back. The Silk Road man cursed and struggled against his bonds.
Then her view of him was blocked by Logan’s broad form. He knelt in front of her, staring into her face. “Did he hurt you?”
She looked into those fierce lion eyes and shook her head. What must he be thinking? What she’d said to him back at the bridge…he had to hate her.
“Logan…” When he just kept staring, she cleared her throat. “He had a small explosive, he put it on me back at the bridge.”
Logan went still. Scary still. “He had an explosive on you.”
She swallowed and saw fake Piero’s eyes go wide.
“Don’t let him near me,” the Silk Road man spat out.
“Morgan.” Declan jerked his head toward the horses. “You and Hale check for an explosive.”
Sydney swallowed again. She felt like she had a rock in her throat. “Logan, I’m sorry. I was so afraid he’d hurt you and the others. I did what he told me to do, and I’m sorry.”
Logan’s brow creased. “You were trying to protect me?”
“Is that so hard to believe? I really am sorry about what I said.”
Logan muttered a curse and then yanked her into his arms. He tugged her head back and his mouth touched hers. Sydney leaned into the kiss, a small sound escaping her.
His lips cruised across her cheek. “I see you, Sydney. The
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